As the capital of Alberta, Edmonton is a vibrant city surrounded by incredible wilderness! Many visitors search for the best restaurants in Edmonton when they visit and need somewhere to refuel after their adventures. Known mainly for high-quality beef, Edmonton also boasts a culinary scene that has captured the hearts of Alberta and all of Canada.
We were surprised and delighted to find a plethora of plates inspired by flavors and fare from around the globe. Below are the best restaurants in Edmonton, guaranteed to please your palate. All your favorite cuisines are included, like Indian, Italian, Korean, Japanese, and Mexican! Give at least one a try. Having a nice meal is one of the best things to do in Edmonton.
The Best Restaurants in Edmonton to Try
Biera
Biera serves up creative cuisine in a cozy and chill atmosphere and is one of the best Edmonton restaurants. They have cultivated a neighborhood feel balanced with a truly contemporary menu. All the ingredients are locally sourced, and the menu is eclectic. Their cheese selection is almost as impressive as their craft beer selection.
It’s home to its own microbrewery and one of the best breweries in Edmonton – Blind Enthusiasm Brewing. Making their own drafts on-site brings a new meaning to a fresh definition. Every small batch on tap is unique, from their ZestyZee to their Yen ’til Two. Opt for the picturesque patio seating if you prefer to dine al fresco.
Many sharing plate options exist, so feel free to mix and match for optimal snacking. The Fresh B.C. Spot Prawns on the Barbie is a succulent dish not to be missed at Biera.
MEAT
If you’re hankering for BBQ, then MEAT is the spot to head for smoked specialties. As an ex-pat from the South, this place feels like home with reliably exceptional BBQ and southern staples. There aren’t many places where you can find real cornbread in Alberta.
The restaurant offers all the classic versions of BBQ, such as ribs, beef brisket, pulled pork, smoked chicken, and fried chicken. It’s a lot of food, and their sampler plates are enormous, so come hungry. It’s a relaxed atmosphere with communal tables and an airy restaurant decor.
RGE RD
This farm-to-table establishment boasts the moniker “eat off the beaten path.” They explore the tastes of Canada from coast to coast, inspired by the fields, forests, peaks, and seas of the natural national landscape.
The menu constantly changes based on the best ingredients from small local farmers seasonally and a nose-to-tail butchery. This is a high-end experience in a bright and modern, vibrant setting. Every dish feels thoughtful and designed to encourage you to celebrate the simple pleasures of bold and bright flavor.
The small plates, such as the King Oyster Mushroom or Liver Pate, are just as delicious and delightful as the mains, like the Heritage Pork or Yukon Arctic Char.
Bar Bricco
Bar Bricco is an intimate Italian eatery and wine bar creatively creating traditional and authentic dishes. They honor and celebrate the classic philosophies of Italian cuisine while employing contemporary processes for a dining experience unlike any other. Using only the freshest local ingredients, the flavors are both bold and straightforward.
Be sure to take advantage of the superb selections of wine available to pair with your plate. The Wagyu Beef Belly and Fonduta Agnolotti are incredibly mouth-watering masterpieces. They also own Uccellino, which is just as beloved by downtown Edmonton. If you require fresh pasta and great wine, this is the place for you.
The Marc
With an atmosphere that provides luxury at its most relaxing, The Marc is a favorite among food aficionados in Edmonton. The ideal fusion of French and Canadian fares features the best of both flavors for a fine dining affair.
Their Fresh Picnic menu option is genuinely something special. It comes with whipped goat cheese, pate, salmon rillette, manchego cheese, quince jam, capicola, and marinated olives, all made in-house.
The Entrecote Frites and Seafood Bouillabaisse are mains that really steal the show here, though you can’t go wrong with a glass of wine and an order of Shirt Rib Poutine. Be sure to save room for dessert; they are often just as much of a draw as the mains. The beignets and chocolate cake are a couple of the fan favorites.
La Ronde
La Ronde is Edmonton’s one and only revolving rooftop restaurant. What’s better than divine dishes paired with a sweeping view in a slowly moving room? It’s famous for its fine dining and its far-reaching panoramas of the city skyline and river valley. It’s set way up on the 24th floor of the Chateau Lacombe Hotel and completes an entire revolution once every 88 minutes.
It’s a pretty well-known Canada fact that Alberta has terrific beef and any visitor should try this Canadian food item. The most well-known dish here is the AAA Prime Rib of Alberta Beef, a local delicacy.
This elegant eatery always pulls out all the stops, each bit as refined and ravishing as the 360 vistas from your table. If fancy is not for you, we recommend going on Tieless Tuesday for live jazz, a more relaxed atmosphere, and half-price wine.
Tres Carnales
Tres Carnales is where classic Mexican street eats get an upgrade. The authentic taco in its tried and true form is the ultimate inspiration here. The flavors will transport you to a coastal paradise with everything made fresh in-house, right down to the Agua Frescas.
From tortas to quesadillas to burritos, these vibrant foods bring out the best of Mexican culture in Canada. The Quesabirria Tacos are a revelation. The graffiti-style mural adorning the walls fits the vibrant and lively aesthetic. There is always a fun-loving good time to be had at Tres Carnales, and this is one of the best Mexican restaurants in Edmonton around.
Hanjan
Hanjan is Edmonton’s premiere haven for fantastic Korean fares in Edmonton. They aim to bring the community together by offering a space to gather over craft pints or coffees, paired with a signature dish or famous dessert.
The space is filled with warm woods, soft lights, and plenty of greenery to create a comfortable and chic environment. The Udon Noodles, Korean Fried Chicken, and Bibimbap are just a few stellar selections on a scrumptiously extensive menu. Try a traditional Korean cocktail like the Bokbunja, blackberry-raspberry wine. Don’t leave without trying the Mango Bingsu or Nutella Waffle to finish off a delectable dining experience.
Little Brick
This charming cafe and general store is set in the heart of the river valley and has certainly stolen the hearts of all who have entered their warm hearth. Set in a ‘little brick’ house that was built in 1903, it offers a living room, dining room, and backyard space to enjoy your delicious delights in. Their motto is good coffee, simple living, and the finest quality products, so that is just what you will find.
Artisanal sandwiches come on freshly baked bread, like the Sundried Tomato Pesto and Cheese Melt. The coffee is fresh from roasters around the coast and always rotating. There is one tap for a local beer that rotates and plenty of handcrafted cocktails available.
The general store is full of shelves with locally made housewares, body products, cooking ingredients, and much more. Little Brick gives you the quaint, cozy feel of the country without having to leave the city at all. It’s a great place to stop before heading out for a day of adventures on one of the gorgeous Alberta lakes.
Woodwork
A real work of wood, this restaurant in Edmonton focuses on both wood-fired cooking and barrel-aged spirits for a carefully curated selection of cuisine and beverages. It’s actually one of the most extensive collections of spirits in all of Alberta.
The Steak Frites and Kraken are just a couple of their finest grilled fares being served up. Bar Snacks and Small Plates are also an excellent way to go, with offerings such as Charcuterie Boards or Pork Ribs.
The cocktail list is inspired by the flavors of the Fertile Crescent and includes such gems as Marrakesh Gimlet and the Damascus Sazerac. The atmosphere feels hip and modern, with brown leather booths, light woods, and dark walls. They make all of their own condiments, preserves, and charcuterie in-house for just the attention to detail every diner deserves.
Padmanadi
Bringing Indonesian cuisine to Canada, Padmanadi is a cultural coup for the city. Inspired by a successful family restaurant in Jakarta, they brought all the fixings and flavors from Southeast Asia to Southern Alberta.
They serve foods from Thailand, China, and India as well, being especially known for their amazing vegetarian and vegan creations. For all your meat-free needs, pop over to Padmanadi.
They have a downtown Edmonton restaurant location and a southside location, both with walls adorned by family photos, helping you feel right at home in the cozy and casual set up. The curry has become a local cult classic and the gorengs are fresh and bold. It’s earned quite a reputation in the culinary community since its start in the late 1970s.
OEB Breakfast Co.
For the best breakfast and brunch in town, make your way over to OEB. The creators of OEB truly believe in a balanced and beautiful breakfast; it’s the most important meal of the day, after all. They aim to create all the classic favorites with a twist for a one-of-a-kind meal with every mouthful with a passion for palate-pleasing.
The name stands for outstanding people, embracing evolution, and bold food integrity. We love our morning mimosas with a strong ethos behind them. Everything is farm-to-table for a fresh and fabulous experience each time.
They love to push the boundaries, and you will always find plenty of personality on your plate. From Croques Madame to Pierogies & Duck, this is not your average breakfast joint, and thank goodness for that.
YEG Burger
A hidden gem in the north end, this is where you will find the best burger in Edmonton. With every flavor imaginable under the sun, discover daring delights like the Falafel Burger, the Parmigiano Reggiano Burger, and even the Chili Cheese Burger.
The atmosphere is bright and trendy, just as you’d want from a local burger joint. With plenty of savory sides as well, try the Cheese Burger Poutine or EZ’s Corn Dog. Everything is 100% certified Halal. Their milkshakes certainly don’t disappoint either.
There is often a monthly feature that is just as different as it is decadent, such at the Mozza Sticks Burger or the Sriracha Shake. There is always a tasty surprise awaiting you at YEG Burger.
Dorinku Tokyo
Another one of the best hidden gem restaurants in Edomonton is Dorinku Tokyo. Dorinku brings the cuisine of Japan to the community of Edmonton with creative flair. The decor is fun and funky, inspired by the streets of Tokyo.
There is a full bar as well, with many cocktail creations in addition to shochu, sake, plum wine, and Japanese whisky. There are several exciting sushi rolls offered, along with ramen that’s perfectly flavored to the last drop, and sashimi served fresh with real wasabi.
There are snack and share options for each section of the menu, a fun way to try a bit of everything and enjoy a communal dining experience. The bathrooms even boast a Japanese toilet called Toto Washlets, for an authentic experience in every way.
Sepp’s Pizza
Of course, we can’t have a list for the best Edmonton restaurants without including a local place for the perfect slice. For authentic New York Style pizza in the area, Sepp’s knowns how to do it right. The Canadian Pizza is popular with a northern twist of toppings, including prosciutto cotto, fresh pineapple, and jalapenos.
With 20 options it can be hard to pick your pizza, the Emilia Pizza (pork and beef ragu bolognese, mozzarella, ricotta, bechamel, Parmigiano reggiano, nutmeg, and parsley) and the Gina Pizza (cream sauce, Parmigiano reggiano, brussel sprouts, pancetta, sage, lemon, black pepper, and parsley) really vye for the top spots in our hearts and our stomachs. They do offer a vegetarian and vegan option as well.
Tzin Wine & Tapas
Tzin is a chic wine and tapas bar with a variety of plates inspired by Spanish and European cuisines. The Seafood Paella and Wild Boar Meatballs are especially exciting dishes to dine on. It’s always an intimate experience, perfect for sharing bites and beverages with loved ones.
The menu is small as is the cozy space, and each item feels like a work of art. The bacon has become a local legend, so be sure to try it out when there.
The wine list offers a plethora of thoughtful options by the glass or bottle from around the world. You can even order the Feed Me menu, which is a multi-course surprise as chosen by the chef from both on and off the available list of dishes and which changes daily as well. Why not let the experts take you on a tasty tour of their own tapas.
GRAVY — Burger & Fries
Gravy delivers some of the best burgers in Edmonton in a hip environment. They’re known for excellent burgers and quality ingredients at an affordable price. We love Gravy for a casual meal in a laidback environment. The walls inside the joint are decorated with patrons’ doodles and the pinball machine is awesome to pass some time while you wait for your food.
Another standout lies in the name “Gracy” & “Fries” as they serve up killer poutine. The menu features ten different styles of poutine such as spicy fried chicken poutine, yes it’s awesome. The burger joint doesn’t have a plethora of options for alternative diets, but there is one vegan burger that uses impossible meat on the menu. They do have a license to serve some local craft beers to complement their burgers.
The Bedouins Restaurant
There aren’t many North African restaurants in Canada so when you find one like The Bedouins it should be treasured. Arabian and North African dishes are rich meals that bring plenty of unique flavors and spice. It’s a wonderful restaurant to explore a new cuisine if you’ve never traveled to the region, or revisit if you have been before.
It’s a family restaurant that delivers great service in a relaxed atmosphere. However, the food is the real allure at this restaurant. We love dishes like the Batata Mbattana, which is a Libyan dish made from fried potato balls and seasoned ground meat.
The Harvest Room
For a special experience head to the premier hotel in town the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald. The hotel’s restaurant, The Harvest Room, is a wonderful spot for a romantic meal thanks to its beautiful dining room and superb service. It has an excellent Canadian menu for breakfast and dinner.
They have a scrumptious menu of breakfast classics and decadent choices like Dungeness crab avocado eggs benedict or peaches and cream stuffed french toast. However, the dinner menu is the real standout. It features items like scallops with sweet pea puree, pan-seared salmon with cauliflower, or a rack of lamb with leek ash potatoes.
Sabor Restaurant
For an interesting blend of flavors head to Sabor Restaurant for Spanish and Portuguese specialties, which is another hidden gem restaurant in Edmonton. The menu features an extensive menu that highlights food from the Iberian coast with sustainably sourced seafood.
It’s not just seafood though, as they also feature some wonderful meat and vegetarian dishes.
In true fashion Spanish fashion, they dish out excellent paella, tapas, artisan cheeses, and cured meats. To complement their dishes the wine menu highlights the best of regions that include ports, sherry, and dessert wines.
Bistro Praha
The restaurants of Edmonton offer a lot of diversity and that includes Bistro Praha, a Czech restaurant. It’s a family establishment that’s been a fixture of the city for over 45 years. The decor in the restaurant is modeled to feel like an old-European restaurant with chandeliers, simple wood tables, and classical music playing in the background.
Expect comforting dishes such as goulash, schnitzel, and sauerkraut soup. Of course, as it’s a European establishment they have some excellent beer and wine to go along with your meal.
Sofra Turkish Restaurant & Wine Cellar
Turkish food may not be your first thought of decadent cuisines, but it’s truly amazing. It has been influenced and influenced a wide range of food that includes Mediterranean, Balkan, Middle Eastern, and North Africa. The Turkish chef behind the restaurant, Chef Yuksel, crafts every dish in-house.
Everything is excellent and crafted with attention to detail such as the wood-fired pide. Other stand-out dishes inlcude the köfte, dolma, and baklava. All traditional Turkish flavors that perfectly with some cay (tea, pronounced “chai”).
Normand’s Restaurant
Normand’s has been faithfully serving customers Canadian and French food since 1989. It’s all run by Normand Campbell, the owner, an integral element in ensuring patrons have an enjoyable experience. The result is wonderful service and to match the tasty food.
The menu features a number of French dishes and highlights local wild game. You can find items such as Roast Duck and Bison Rib Eye Steaks.
Craft Beer Market Edmonton
The hip and industrial Craft Beer Market in downtown Edmonton feature a rooftop bar and buzzy atmosphere. It’s a small Canadian chain that’s now in most major cities. The bar here features a huge selection of craft beers, over 100 on tap!
In addition to the beer, they also serve up tasty gastropub food such as nachos, burgers, bowls, and tacos. It’s not the best food in Edmonton, but it’s tough not to enjoy the fun atmosphere with a group of friends.
Bündok
The trendy Bündok, “mountain” in Tagalog, has garnered a number of awards in recent years. Cocktails are a real highlight as they personalize each order for the customer. Guests choose a base liquor and flavor profile for the bartender to craft a personalized cocktail.
As good as the cocktails are the real highlight is the food. The menu has an extensive selection of dishes designed to be shared such as fried chicken skins, roasted cauliflower, tuna crudo, and grilled striploin. Everything here is delectable and you can’t go wrong.
DaDeO
DaDeO is a Creole-inspired diner and bar that highlights cuisine from New Orleans. Its fun interior that is is decorated to look like a 1950s diner is adults only. It features vinyl booths, retro mini jukeboxes, and the classic checkered linoleum floor.
The menu here is eclectic with plenty of options for everyone. Patrons can select favorites such as a po’ boy, jambalaya, steamed mussels, and crab cakes. Vegetarians will appreciate this restaurant as they offer a vegetarian po’ boy and jambalaya.
Hathway’s Diner
Hathway’s is a classic diner that nails affordable classics such as breakfast or a burger. They’re open for breakfast and lunch, but not dinner so come early. The diner is an institution in Edmonton so don’t mistake it for being some sleepy diner.
Breakfast and brunch on the weekends regularly draw a line of patrons that wrap around the building hoping to get a table. I’m a sucker for pancakes so that’s my go-to order, but they also have awesome skillets and eggs. Most importantly they dish out delicious housemade pies, such as flapper pie.
Things to do in Edmonton
See the Muttart Conservatory: Settled on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River are four greenhouses in stunning pyramid configurations. Seeing them, especially lit up at night, is one of the best things to do in Edmonton.
See the bison at Elk Island National Park: Elk Island National Park is the largest fully enclosed park in the whole country. It’s an expansive and protected conservation preserve of 75 square miles. A fun thing to do is drive through it to see the beautiful bison.
Fort Edmonton Park: Take a trip back in time to experience life in the first enduring European outpost in Alberta. This is the largest living museum in all of Canada.
Where to Stay in Edmonton
Best Edmonton Restaurants Map
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Love this! Great blog!
I would perhaps consider adjusting the Tres Carnales pick in light of recent news, but otherwise, very nicely done!
I was here in Edmonton working a few weeks and went to almost all these spots. All amazing. Great list. Any time I got recommendations from locals it would include at least one of these. Thanks!
RGE RD is my favorite if you have an adventurous taste.